Although the likelihood of the Lakers facing the San Antonio Spurs in the playoffs' first round is lessening, the teams will play for the final time this season Thursday night at Staples Center. The Lakers got a big confidence-builder for their season with a March 10 victory at AT&T Center, 100-92.

Kobe Bryant scored 29 points in that game, despite the strong defense of San Antonio's Bruce Bowen. But it was the Lakers' defense that ruled the game, holding San Antonio to 13 second-quarter points.

Interestingly, San Antonio's Tim Duncan hasn't led his team in scoring in any of the three meetings between the Lakers and Spurs this season. The Lakers last beat the Spurs at Staples Center in a regular-season game on Nov. 28, 2003.

REPLAY
The Lakers beat the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets, 105-94, on Sunday night at Staples Center. The victory dropped the Hornets four games back of the Lakers and gave the Lakers' playoff hopes a significant boost.

Lakers center Kwame Brown gave the Lakers a fourth consecutive productive game, and that went a long way to giving the Lakers their fourth consecutive victory. Brown had 17 points on 7-of-7 shooting, plus six rebounds, in 38 minutes.

Brown was playing despite a strained left hamstring and got his nose bloodied twice on drives to the hoop. Kobe Bryant led the Lakers with 30 points on 10-of-19 shooting.

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